Senior Audience & Impact Research Specialist

Public Media Business Association; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WETA, the flagship public media station serving the nation’s capital, seeks a Senior Audience & Impact Research Specialist to lead qualitative research and impact measurement. You’ll design studies, synthesize findings, and translate insights into strategic recommendations for audiences and fundraising stakeholders, reporting to the Senior Director of Research & Data Analytics.

Based in Arlington, VA, most roles are onsite or hybrid, with collaboration across internal teams including

Qualifications

• Experience designing and leading qualitative studies (surveys, interviews, focus groups, ethnography).
• Ability to translate qualitative findings into actionable recommendations.
• Strong communication to non-technical audiences and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead qualitative studies aligned to impact goals.
• Code, analyze, and synthesize qualitative data into findings and recommendations.
• Set QA standards for qualitative research across the team.
• Collaborate with quantitative researchers to integrate mixed-method reporting.
• Present findings to stakeholders and support fundraising insights.
• Mentor junior researchers and coordinate research logistics.

Skills

Qualitative research design

Data synthesis

Stakeholder communication

Mentoring junior researchers

Education

MA / MS / MBA / JD

Job description

Senior Audience & Impact Research Specialist

The Senior Audience & Impact Research Specialist leads the organization's qualitative research and impact measurement work, with primary responsibility for research methodology, synthesis, and translating qualitative findings into strategic insight. This role partners closely and continuously with the Manager, Data Strategy & Analytics to align qualitative and quantitative work, and reports to the Senior Director, Research & Data Analytics.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and lead research studies, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other qualitative methods, aligned to organizational and impact measurement goals
• Own qualitative data coding, analysis, and synthesis, translating raw qualitative input into clear findings and recommendations
• Set qualitative research methodology and quality standards across the team's work
• Direct and validate first-pass coding and other qualitative groundwork completed by Research Operations Associate
• Partner with the Manager, Data Strategy & Analytics to co-design integrated qualitative/quantitative filtering and reporting frameworks
• Advise on and build data visualizations, complete audience and impact reports and present findings to stakeholders
• Contribute qualitative and impact-measurement expertise to broader organizational and system-wide strategy discussions, in structured collaboration with the Manager, Data Strategy & Analytics and the Senior Director
• Maintain relationships with internal stakeholders (especially fundraising teams) who rely on qualitative and impact findings, ensuring research addresses real organizational questions
• Provide day-to-day direction to Research Operations support staff on qualitative research logistics and groundwork
• Stay current on qualitative research and impact measurement best practices relevant to public media, audience engagement, and mission-driven organizations

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrated experience in survey design and designing and leading qualitative studies (interviews, focus groups, ethnographic methods, or similar)
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, with experience translating qualitative findings into actionable recommendations
• Strong ability to communicate research findings to non-technical audiences and stakeholders

ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in public media, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations
• Background in impact or outcomes measurement frameworks
• Experience partnering with quantitative researchers or analysts to build integrated mixed-method reporting tools
• Experience mentoring or directing the work of junior researchers or contract support staff, even without formal management authority

EDUCATION:

• MA / MS / MBA / JD (Masters / Postgraduate / Advanced Degree)

LOCATION:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

WETA, the flagship public media station in the nation’s capital, produces and distributes content that informs, inspires, and enriches lives.

As the second-largest producing station for the public media system, WETA creates programming to explore history, arts, and culture, partnering with acclaimed filmmakers such as Ken Burns and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. National WETA productions include The American Revolution and Finding Your Roots, among many others. WETA is also home to PBS News, the primary daily, breaking, and special news producer for PBS. Its broadcast productions include PBS News Hour, Washington Week with The Atlantic, Horizons from PBS News, and Compass Points from PBS News, as well as specials, documentaries, and a robust footprint across digital platforms.

Locally, WETA serves audiences across Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, through television, radio, and digital platforms. Audiences access WETA on broadcast channels WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA Metro, WETA World, and WETA PBS Kids, and digitally through the free streaming platformWETA+. Listeners tune into WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the Greater Washington area, via radio, online, and the WETA Classical app. Benefits | WETA

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.